Vehicle-top.



H; H. CHRISTIE.

VEHICLE If 0P.

urpronxon Hum APR. 6. 1908.

Patented Jan. 10, 1911.

INVENTOR WITNESSES:

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UNITED STATES PATEN UFFICE.

HALDANE H. CHRISTIE, OF JACKSON, MICHIGAN.

VEHICLE-TOP.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 10, 1911.

Application filed April 6, 1908. Serial No. 425,314.

i specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawings.

This invention relates to improvements invehicle tops and more especially to prop rests.

The object of the invention is to rovide a form of prop rest which will secure y hold the top when folded and yet be adjustable to the variations in widths of bodies and angles of bow tops.

To this end the invention consists in the particular construction, arrangement and combination of parts all as hereinafter more fully described, reference being had to the accompanying drawing in which- Figure 1 is a side elevation of a top frame embodying the invention attached to an automobile seat in position for use and show: ing the top cover in dotted lines. Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the supporting top bracket and stirrup.

As shown in the drawing 1 is a vertical or standard bow on the top frame having upon its lower end the pivot-casting 2 which is pivotally attached in the usual way to a post 3 secured in any desired manner to the vehicle-seat. 4 is the rear or diagonal bow of the usual form and construction pivotally attached at its lower end to the rearwardly extending ear 5 on the pivot-casting 2. When the frame is in its extended or operative position the bow 1 is held relative to the bow 1 by the jointed brace 6 pivotally attached at one end to the bow 4 near the spring of its arch and at its opposite end to the bow 1 by the pivot-bolt 7, said brace being provided intermediate its ends with a rule-joint 8. A similar jointed brace 9 is pivotally attached at its upper end to the pivot-bolt 7 and at its lower end to the outwardly extending end of a bracket-arm 10 attached to the vehicle-seat. The bracketarm 10 consists of a rod formed at one end with curved and laterally extending arms 11 having holes to receive bolts for attaching the bracket to the seat or seat rail of the vehicle. Intermediate its ends the rod is bent at right angles to extend outward from the vehicle-seat and this outwardly extending end 12 is provided with an axial screw threaded opening to receive a bolt 13 having a head 14 and upon which bolt the lower end of the brace 9 turns. Instead of bolting the bracket-arm 10 to the seat rail it may be integrally formed therewith as by forging.

15 is an upwardly opening U-shaped stirrup provided on its lower side with an car 16 having an opening to receive the arm 12 of the bracket and turn thereon, a set-screw 17 extending through the car into engagement with the arm to hold the stirrup in the desired position relative to the bracket.

The stirrup is lined on its inner face with a leather strap 18 secured thereto by rivets 19 passing through the strap and stirrup. In the upper outwardly curving ends of the stirrup are slots 20 and one end of the lining strap is formed with a loop to hold a buckle 21 by having its end turned downward through the slot on the outside of the stirrup and secured by the rivet 19. A holdingstrap 22 is secured at one end to one side of the stirrup by being passed through the slot 20 and secured by one of the rivets 19 V and by a rivet 23 passing through said strap and through the free end of the liningstra p. The opposite end of the securing-strap 22 is provided with holes to receive the tongue of the buckle and the free end may be tucked through the slot in the stirrup.

The forwardly extending portion of the cover 24 of the top is supported and held in its extended position when the top is raised by the front or horizontal bow 25 which bow is provided at each end with an outwardly extending bolt. An eyeplate 28 is secured to each side of the how 1 near the spring of its arch and this plate is formed with an eye 29 to receive the bolt. The how 25 is prevented from swinging upwardand disengaging itself from the eye-plates by guystraps 30 attached at one end to the forward side of the bow and at their opposite ends to any convenient part of the vehicle. A crossbow 31 is attached at. its ends to the upper edge of the bow 25 near the spring of the arch of said bow and extends at an inclination to the plane of the arch of the bow 25 to support the cover 24 and form a curving top surface.

To fold the vehicle-top, the straps 30 are disconnected, the bow 25 and its bolts disengaged from the eyes 29 and said bow then folded up against the how 1 as shown in F ig. 1, the bolts being reengaged with suitable ears 32 on the pivot-casting2. The top may be further folded by breaking the joints in the braces 6 and 9 thus permitting the bows 1 and 4c to fold together and to turn upon the pivot-post 3 down into engagement with the stirrup on the bracket 10, the strap 22 is then passed around the bows and all secured within the stirrup. By loosening theset-screw 17 the stirrup may be ad'usted longitudinally of the arm 12 for diiierent widths of bows and it may be also rotatively adjusted upon said arm to bring it in proper relation to the bows.

Havin thus fully described my invention what I c aim is:

1. A bow support, comprising a U-shaped support, a strap attached to one arm of the support at one end, a second strap to engage and support the bows resting within the support and attached to the first named strap at one end and also having a loop at the other end secured to the other arm of the support, and a buckle pivoted in said loop and adjustably engaging the first named strap.

2. A bow support, comprising a stud, a U-shaped support adjustably mounted on the stud and having arms outwardly turned at the upper ends provided with openings to receive a strap, a strap extending vertically through said openings, one end being secured to one arm and the other end adjustable in the other arm, an inner strap resting within said support and having one end secured to one arm and to the fixed end of the first named strap, and also having a loop at the other end embracing the other arm of the support, and a buckle pivoted in said loop and adj ustably engaging and holding the first named strap.

3. A bow support, comprising a U-shaped support having outwardly turned arms provided with vertical openings and also having side recesses to receive the straps, a strap having its ends extending through said openings and fixed to one of the arms of the support at one end and vertically adjustable in the opening of the arm at the other end, an iniier strap resting in said support and extending upward therein at each end, one end of the inner strap being secured to one arm of the support and also secured to one end of the first named strap, the other end of the inner strap being extended in a loop embracing the other arm of the support and secured thereto, and a buckle pivoted in said loop and adjustably engaging the detachable end of the first named strap.

4. In a vehicle top, the combination with pivoted bows, of a hanger consisting of a rod formed at one end with laterally curved and extended arms and bent intermediate its ends to form an outwardly extending horizontal arm, an upwardly opening stirrup'having slots in its upper ends, a leather lining secured upon the inner surface of the stirrup and provided with a buckle at one end, a strap secured at one end to the stirrup and lining and engaging the buckle at its other end, an ear on the lower side of the stirrup having an opening to receive the horizontal end of the hanger and a set screw to hold the stirrup in position upon the hanger.

In testimony whereof I aifix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

HALDANE H. CHRISTIE.

Vitnesses O'r'ro F. BARTHEL, A. M. Donn. 

